Lyme Bay canoeing disaster

[1] Norman Pointer, the group's teacher, also capsized a number of times leading to one of the instructors, Tony Mann, staying behind to assist.

[1][2] At 2:45 pm, a local fisherman found an empty kayak floating about 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of Lyme Regis.

[1][2][3] At 4:20 pm HM Coastguard Portland tasked Lyme Regis Lifeboat and a Royal Navy helicopter to search for the group of kayakers.

[1][2][3] Four of the group, Dean Sayer, Claire Langley, Simon Dunne and Rachel Walker, died as a result of the incident.

[5] The subsequent investigation resulted in Joe Stoddart and Peter Kite, the owner of the parent company of St Albans Outdoor Centre, being charged with manslaughter.

All water-based activities ended shortly afterwards when West Dorset District Council refused to renew the centre's license to launch boats at Lyme Regis until the inquest was held.

[11] The centre ceased operations on 11 June 1993, with management citing a string of cancelled school bookings and insurance issues as the main causes for its closure.

The Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995, introduced by Labour MP David Jamieson, was passed through Parliament in January 1995.